Open Thread: The Tim Duncan/Kobe Bryant ad used when they met in the Western Conference Finals

A throwback post features the two rival legends

Found this on X (formerly Twitter).

It’s a promo for the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Half screen of Kobe Bryant and the other half of Tim Duncan.

“There’s so many emotions at the end of the season and nobody likes to talk about it. But one of them is fear. Fear that you’ve come this far and it could all end. The dream could die. But me, I like the fear. It means I’m close. It means I’m ready.”

These two only faced off twice in the Western Conference Finals — once in 2001 and again in 2008. In both instances the Lakers prevailed. (This ad is from 2008, when Manu Ginobili played through a left ankle injury that severely limited him.)

There are moments in which Tim and Kobe’s imagines perfectly align and for a moment, they do appear to be of one mind. I’m sure that was the intention, but it is amazing how accurately the goal was met.

Not too far in the near future, the Spurs will again be facing a rival in the Western Conference Finals. Who will that rival be? And whose face will be split with Victor Wembanyama’s?

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